Keiser’s accomplishments lauded at Washington, D.C. event

OLYMPIA – Washington will be prominently represented at a national forum for state policy successes. The Progressive States Network, in partnership with the Center for American Progress Action Fund, is hosting the June 14 event in Washington, D.C., where legislators from several states are discussing landmark gains made by their legislatures. Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, was invited to talk about advances made in health care and family leave legislation in the session which adjourned in April.

Keiser’s leadership on these keystone issues has drawn considerable attention.

“Sen. Keiser has proven that Washington leads on important issues like health care,” said Joel Barkin, executive director of the Progressive States Network.

Both organizations cited Washington’s progress in enacting family leave insurance for parents of newborn or newly adopted children, and expanding health care coverage for children as exemplars for other states.

“Washington’s paid leave bill truly places the state at the front of the nation in terms of valuing families,” said Steve Doherty, a former Montana legislator and co-chair of the Progressive States Network.

“It was a watershed session for Washington families as we aligned our policies with our values,” Keiser said. “Now parents do not have to choose between staying home with a new baby and going to a job to put food on the table. And more of our kids will have the health insurance they need to stay healthy and do well in school.”

Keiser, chair of the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee, supported legislation adding 39,000 children to the ranks of the health insured. Signed into law, Senate Bill 5093 will expand health-care coverage for children who live at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level, currently set at $50,000 for a family of four. More children will be covered in 2009, when access is expanded to include children who live at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or $62,000 for a family of four — an important step in assuring that all Washington children have health coverage.

She also authored the family leave measure, SB 5659, making Washington the second state offering this innovative program. Starting October 2009, qualifying employees will be able to take five weeks of leave with up to $250 in weekly benefits.

Founded in 2005, the Progressive States Network provides coordinated research and strategic advocacy tools to state legislators and their staffs, empowering these decision-makers with everything they need to engineer forward-thinking change in their states. For more information, visit www.progressivestates.org.

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